Chicken and Leek Pie

Piping hot! Flaky and creamy! Irresistible and nourishing! Warming and comforting! All these words describe a Winter pie; a pie that fills a home with that enticing "just-baked" aroma and one's heart (and stomach) with a warm contentment on a cold night. 

 Delicious!

Made with leeks, broccoli and thyme from my garden and the leftovers of an earlier roasted chicken, this pie was everything a Winter pie is meant to be. 

 Golden pastry and a creamy filling. YUM!

Chicken and Leek Pie

Filling:
knob of butter
2 leeks, washed and sliced
2 sticks celery, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup of small broccoli florets 
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 handfuls of diced leftover roasted chicken
3 ready-made puff pastry sheets

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons plain flour
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cream
1-2 teaspoons mustard
salt and pepper

1.  Preheat oven to temperature recommended on your pack of puff pastry. (Mine was 220C.)
2.  Defrost 3 sheets pastry while you make the filling and the creamy mustard sauce.
3.   Gently cook garlic, leeks and celery in melted butter in a large saucepan over a low heat, with lid on, until soft. Stir regularly.
4.   Add in carrots, broccoli, frozen peas and thyme, replace lid, and continue to cook until carrots and broccoli have softened. Stir regularly.  5.   Melt butter for creamy mustard sauce in medium saucepan. Stir in flour to make a smooth paste and cook for couple of minutes.(This is important so your sauce doesn't taste floury.)
6.   Add in milk and whisk. As the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, gently mix in cream and mustard. Stir or whisk until thickened and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7.   Stir creamy mustard sauce and chopped chicken into softened veg to complete the filling.  Remove from heat.
8.   Quickly line the base of a medium-sized pie pan with pastry. 
9.   Spread the filling evenly over the pastry base.                                                                      
10.  Lay more pastry over the top of the filling to form "lid" of the pie.  Fold and press to join pastry lid with pastry base. Cut a few slits in lid of your pie with a sharp knife.

11.  Bake until pastry is puffed and golden and pie is piping hot. (It is very important that your pie is very hot to ensure leftover cooked chicken has been reheated safely.)
12.  Enjoy with fresh green beans.    

* This recipe is not suitable for reheating.* 

Do you have a favourite Winter pie?

Meg